Tecomaria plant named ‘DWPI001’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Tecomaria capensis named ‘DWPI001’, that is characterized by its compact and upright plant habit, its small plant size, and its flowers that are salmon pink in color.

Botanical classification: Tecomaria capensis.

Varietal denomination: ‘DWPI001’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. Plant Patent for a plant derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Tecomaria Plant Named ‘DWOR001’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,148), Tecomaria Plant Named ‘DWOY001’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,150), Tecomaria Plant Named ‘DWRE001’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,151), and Tecomaria Plant Named ‘DWYE001’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 16/350,149).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tecomaria capensis and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘DWPI001’. ‘DWPI001’ represents a new cape honeysuckle, a sub-tropical shrub grown for landscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program by the Inventor in Hartebeespoort, North West Province, South Africa. The Inventor made a cross in September of 2013 between unnamed proprietary plants from the Inventor's breeding program as both the female parent and male parent. The Inventor selected ‘DWPI001’ as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross in September of 2014.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by stem cuttings in October 2014 in Hartebeespoort, North West Province, South Africa. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘DWPI001’ as a unique cultivar of Tecomaria capensis.

-   -   1. ‘DWPI001’ exhibits a compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. ‘DWPI001’ exhibits a small plant size.     -   3. ‘DWPI001’ exhibits flowers that are salmon pink in color.

The female parent plant of ‘DWPI001’ differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having red flowers. The male parent plant of ‘DWPI001’ differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having flowers that are orange-red in color. ‘DWPI001’ can also be compared to the Tecomaria capensis cultivars ‘Hammers Rose’ (not patented) and ‘Lutea’ (not patented) and cultivars from the same breeding program; ‘DWOY001’, ‘DWOR001’, ‘DWRE001’, and ‘DWYE001’. ‘Hammers Rose’ is similar to ‘DWPI001’ in flower color but differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having a larger plant size and in lacking a compact plant habit. ‘Lutea’ is similar to ‘DWPI001’ in having a compact plant habit but differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having yellow flowers. ‘DWOY001’, ‘DWOR001’, ‘DWRE001’, and ‘DWYE001’ are similar to ‘DWPI001’ in having short plant heights and compact plant habits. ‘DWOY001’ differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having flowers that are a blend of orange and yellow in color. ‘DWOR001’ differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having orange flowers. ‘DWRE001’ differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having red flowers. ‘DWYE001’ differs from ‘DWPI001’ in having yellow flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Tecomaria, ‘DWPI001’. The photograph was taken of a one-year-old plant as grown outdoors in a 2-gallon container in Loxley, Ala. The photograph provides a view of the inflorescences of ‘DWPI001’. The colors in the photograph are as close as possible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the new Tecomaria.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar taken from one-year-old plants as grown outdoors in 2-gallon containers in Loxley, Ala. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Plant type.—Sub-tropical bush; can be deciduous to evergreen             depending on climate.         -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright and spreading.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 62 cm in height and 40 cm             in spread as grown in a 2-gallon container and reaches 1.3             meters in height and spread in the landscape.         -   Cold hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zone 7a.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous, 162D in color.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate to vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Root development.—2 to 4 weeks to initiate roots and an             average of 6 weeks to fully root as a young plant from a             rooted cutting. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch shape.—Rounded, slightly oval.         -   Branching and size.—An average of 8 lateral branches;             average of 34 cm in length and 5.5 mm in width, an average             of 3 secondary stems per lateral branch; an average of 14 cm             in length and 2 mm in width.         -   Branch surface.—New growth; glabrous and semi-glossy with             lenticels; about 22 per stem 1.5 cm in length, about 0.5 mm             in length, and 145A or 165A in color, mature stems; finely             vertically ridged with lenticels; an average of 30 per stem             2.5 cm in length, about 1 mm in length, and 165C in color.         -   Branch strength.—Very Strong.         -   Branch arrangement.—Secondary branches primarily opposite.         -   Branch aspect.—Lateral branches primarily upright, secondary             branches held at an average angle of 45° from the lateral             stems.         -   Internode length.—Average of 3.8 cm.         -   Branch color.—New growth 144A, mature; vertical ridges 152A             and 165A changing to vertical ridges of 161A and N199C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf shape.—Oblong overall.         -   Leaf division.—Odd-pinnate, typically 7 leaflets             (occasionally 5).         -   Leaf size.—An average of 9 cm in length and 5 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—About 10 per stem 14 cm in length.         -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate or slightly oblique.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acuminate.         -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate, color: upper surface matches leaf             surface, lower surface 147C.         -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptic to ovate.         -   Leaflet margins.—Serrate.         -   Leaflet surface.—Glabrous, upper surface satiny, lower             surface dull.         -   Leaflet color.—New growth upper and lower surface; 144A,             mature upper surface; 137C, mature lower surface; 147B.         -   Leaflet size.—An average of 3.5 cm in length and 2.2 cm in             width.         -   Petiole and rachis.—Petiole; (from base to lowest leaflet)             an average of 1.5 cm in length and 1 mm in width, rachis;             (from lowest leaflet to top of rachis) an average of 3.2 cm             in length and 1 mm in length, petiolules; none, sessile to             rachis, both are slightly sulcate on upper surface, 144A in             color and moderate in strength with glabrous surfaces. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal panicles, indeterminate.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 13 cm in height and 9 cm in             width with 17 blooms open, continues to bloom at apex.         -   Flower buds.—Narrowly obovate in shape and curved slightly             downward, an average of 4 cm in length and 9 mm in width (at             apex), color a blend of 31B and N34C and suffused with N34A             at apex.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness of flowers.—About 5 days.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward and slightly nodding downward.         -   Flower quantity.—An average of 18 per inflorescence with 3             per peduncle node.         -   Flower shape.—Tubular with petal lobes spreading.         -   Flower type.—Single, tubular (bilabiate in appearance).         -   Flower size.—Average of 4 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—Oval in shape, an average of 9.5 cm in length and             4 mm in diameter, strong, held upright, and 137D in color,             surface glabrous with lenticels; an average of 10 per 1 cm             ×3 mm, oblong in shape, 0.5 in length, 138C in color,             secondary peduncles at peduncle nodes; 4 mm in length and             2.5 mm in width, same shape, color and surface as main             peduncles, peduncle leaves; a base of secondary peduncles,             narrowly oblanceolate, apex acute with mucronate tip,             attenuate base, both surfaces glabrous and dull, color;             upper surface 139A, lower surface 138B.         -   Pedicels.—Average of 1 cm in length and 1 mm in diameter,             held at 20° to vertical, moderately strong and 138B in             color.         -   Calyx.—Campanulate in shape, an average of 6 mm in length             and 5 mm in diameter, persistent.         -   Sepals.—5, fused with free apices; acute apex with mucronate             tip, 1 mm in length and 2 mm in width, entire margin, both             surfaces smooth and dull, color 139D with thin stripes of             139C on outer surface and 139D on inner surface.         -   Petals.—5, lower 70% fused into tube, tube; an average of 3             cm in length and 1 cm in width (at apex), glabrous and             slightly satiny on outer surface, short glistening hairs             with ridges due to adnate stamens on inner surface, color on             outer surface a blend of 31C and suffused with N34A, color             inner surface 29C with filaments of adnate stamens 18B,             lobes: oblong in shape, margin entire, apex obtuse, base             fused to tube, color outer surface a blend of 31C and N34A,             color inner surface 18C with thin stripes of N34B, 1.4 cm in             length and 8 mm in width, upper 2 petals; lower 40% fused             together, held upright and slightly reflexed, lower 3             petals; held outward and slightly reflexed, corona not             persistent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, about 4.9 cm in length, style is an             average of 4.8 cm in length, and 157B in color and N77B near             apex, stigma is club-shaped, 1 mm in diameter, and N77A in             color, ovary is oblong in shape, 3 mm in length and 145D in             color.         -   Androecium.—5 stamens, anthers are dorsifixed, 2-lobed,             narrow oblong in shape, lobes 3 mm in length and N77A in             color, filaments are an average of 5 cm in length and 157B             in color with lower ⅓ adnate to petals, pollen is abundant             in quantity and 21A in color.         -   Fruit and seed.—No fruit or seed production has been             observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tecomaria plant named ‘DWPI001’ as herein illustrated and described. 